Outgoing chairman pays tribute at awards night

Nico De Girolamo receives his players player of the year award for the 2012-2013 season.''Photo by Paul Morley

Published:07:47Wednesday 15 May 2013

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There were popular choices for both the Players’ Player of the Year and the Supporters’ Player of the Year at last Friday’s Annual Presentation Evening of Heanor Town FC.

The event was held in the Social Club and retiring chairman and managing director John McCulloch opened the proceedings with a heart-felt thank you to everyone who had been involved with the club during his many years in the driving seat.

He paid particular thanks to those who had remained with him throughout most of his reign, such as Keith Costello (secretary), Margeret Hutchingson, his wife Eileen and the people who had run the Social Club.

He praised Jordan Hall and Neil Grayson for taking over the helm of the playing side after the January managerial departures, and the players for being loyal to the club during the season.

This, indeed, was reflected in the choices for the respective Players of the Year.

Councillors Heather Longdon (Mayoress of Heanor and Loscoe Town Council), Paul Longdon and Paul and Ann Jones were present and Councillors Paul Jones and Heather Longdon presented the awards on behalf of the retiring members of the club as follows:-

To the ball boys, Charlie, Alex, Matt and Jay.

Reserve Team Leading Goalscorer – Josh Henrys

First Team Leading Goalscorer – Stef Frost

Supporters Player of the Year for the Reserve Team – Andreas Kokkinou

Supporters Player of the Year for the First Team – Lee Stevenson

Players Player of the Year for the Reserve Team – James Palmer

Players Player of the Year for the First Team – Nico De Girolamo.

Brett Peel, representing the club’s playing staff, presented Nico De Girolamo with a bottle of bubbly for achieving 50 appearances for the first team this season out of a total of a possible 51. The evening concluded with a fine buffet.

n Heanor Town Reserves ended their season with a 1-0 loss at Borrowash Vics Reserves, despite a good performance.

Heanor almost took the lead on two minutes after Dean Robinson and Josh Henrys linked well together.

n Continued on page 43

Robinson fed the ball perfectly for Callum Hood to finish with a superb chip over the keeper only for the assistant referee’s flag to be raised, saying Robinson was offside initially at the start of the move.

Kelly headed over for the Vics on six minutes and the ever-reliable Pickworth saved low from Dodds on eight minutes, but pulled off a superb top corner tip over on 32 minutes to keep the score at 0-0.

Heanor came back more into the game and Duerden’s cross eluded everyone and Penny saw his shot go wide.

In the second half, Heanor were dealt a cruel blow when Pickworth pulled up clutching his calf on 52 minutes and had to leave the field of play, Liam Knifton taking over the keeper’s jersey

On 65 minutes, the Vics took the lead with a deep cross at the far post finding Matt Pearce to head the ball into the ground past Knifton.

Worse was to come for Heanor when on 79 minutes Aiden Shaw was sent off.

In the end, the game ended in a narrow defeat.

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